Mature Sally Lightfoot crabs get brighter as they get older because they have no natural enemies.Mature Sally Lightfoot crabs get brighter as they get older because they have no natural enemies.Barbara Selwitz

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The Galapagos Islands loom large in many people's travel dreams. Here's what we learned from our trip.

Some 965 kilometres west of Ecuador in the Pacific Ocean, the extraordinary Galápagos Islands should fascinate anyone who can handle moderate physical activity. In exchange, visitors enjoy astounding encounters with the islands’ intriguing, seemingly docile, residents. Most people also return home with a better appreciation of the Galapagos’ impact upon Charles Darwin, the intrepid naturalist whose 1835 visit contributed greatly to his beliefs that upended common concepts of evolution and theology.

One critical reason is that Galapagos residents display neither fear of, nor seemingly any concern for, visiting humans. While all bipeds are instructed to stay six feet away from island denizens, sometimes that’s challenging when sea lions or iguanas sprawl across marked pathways. But, by avoiding physical contact, and carefully watching where one walks, time spent on these islands is a genuine trip for the mind as well as the body.

That certainly was true for this writer during a fall 2011 week-long, multi-island sail on the M/Y Eric, one of three, compact 20-passenger ships operated by Ecoventura. While particularly accommodating to snorkellers, it offers a fine experience for everyone, including those who don’t dive. Living quarters are quite tight, but everything runs quite smoothly thanks in large part to the extremely helpful crew.

Since most island landings are into water, sandals with a Velcro strap for wet landings, as well as solid, sturdy hiking shoes for walks on rough island terrain, are an absolute must.

The first day’s visit to Tower Island (also known as Genovesa) is essentially above-water remnants of an extinct volcano, typified the week’s activities. Our three-hour morning hike started on a beach filled with sea lions. We then encountered swallow tailed gulls (with red rings surrounding their eyes), frigate birds nesting on the ground, and red-footed boobies nesting amid mangrove trees.

After a return to the boat for lunch, we sailed within the caldera towards another Tower Island location, Prince Philip’s Steps. A dry landing required a 30-metre climb up uneven rocks. But, once on top, we saw Nazca booby hatchlings dining by thrusting their heads down their parent’s throat and retrieving needed nourishment. Also here were red-footed boobies and Great Frigate birds

Later at Tagus Cove on Fernandina Island we encountered platoons of marine iguanas revelling in their “couch potato” lifestyle. Roughly once daily for a half-hour, these grim looking creatures waddle to the nearby sea, gobble down kelp or other greenery, then return to lie in the sun, often one on top of the other! They then lay there until their body becomes sufficiently warm to activate their digestion system. Once “fuelled’, they then have sufficient energy to return to the water and repeat their lifelong scenario.

We also saw flightless cormorants, brilliantly red-orange Sally Lightfoot crabs, pelicans, a Galapagos hawk, massive turtles, and a special cactus that grows on the volcanic lava and helps break down the rocks.

Other highlights included North Seymour island where we watched male Magnificent Frigate birds inflating their screamingly bright red/orange chests (females pick their mates in part by the sex appeal of these pouches), and platoons of blue-footed boobies.

Hood Island, (also called Espanola) required navigating a rugged rock-strewn path (the rocks were wildly uneven and often jagged) was well worth the effort. Here were hordes of sea lions, nursing their young, fighting over territory. And, particularly intriguing, were red marine iguanas (red and black) in splendid repose; blue-footed boobies doing their signature mating dance (the male entices a female by slowly lifting one foot and then the other), and huge (over tw0-metre wing span) Wave Albatross, who only alight by sauntering off high cliffs to catch air currents upon which they glide.

Other stops during our weeklong trip included Santa Cruz island where we visited to a tortoise farm where massive Dome Tortoises roam. We also toured the Darwin Research Centre where there’s a major mission to increase tortoise breeding and ultimately return offspring to the wilds.

We also docked at the lively town of Puerto Ayora where Internet connections were most welcome after five days without. (There are no links aboard ship). Also entertaining was the wild pelican scrum aimed at the catch returning town fishermen bring home each afternoon.

And, just before our return flight to the mainland from San Cristobal Island, we visited the Interpretation Museum where Galapagos Island history is detailed.

Particularly interesting are tales of the 19th century human impact during Darwin’s time, the islands’ use as a prison colony, and the steps that led to the Galapagos becoming a protected national park in 1959.

If You Go:

Ecoventura — Operates three 20-passenger, 10-cabin vessels plus a 16-passenger dive ship. Visit www.ecoventura.com or call 1-800-633-7972. All Galapagos trips require separate flights from mainland Quito or Guayaquil, plus fees to enter what is Ecuador’s most famous national park.

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